Hodge Podge of Ideas for the New School Year!

Easy, Simple, and Free!
- August, 2011

Lucky me to get to know teachers all over our great country! And, lucky me to get to share your wonderful ideas!

As long as I keep learning new things, I stay excited about what I do! And I’m sure you’ll be more enthusiastic to start the school year with a new song, game, cheer, and trick. I had so much FUN typing up these ideas that I know you will want to visit this “hodge podge” throughout the year!

Note! If you’ve been to my workshops, you know I always ask you to write your idea on a sheet of paper with your name and location so I can give you credit. I apologize if I omitted your name. Please email me and I’ll make the correction.

Good-bye, everyone.
The clock says we’re done.
See you ( next school day).
Good-bye, everyone.
Good News!

Start your morning by having each child share one good thing using a complete sentence. The teacher who gave me this tip said at the beginning of the year children struggle with this. She’ll prompt them to think about all the things they have to be grateful for by saying, “Do you have on shoes? Well, that’s a good thing.” “Did you eat breakfast? Well, that’s a good thing.” She said by the end of the year they tend to go on and on so she has to limit them to ONE sentence.

Happy Day
(Tune: “Happy Birthday to You”)

Hello! Good Day!
You’re looking mighty fine.
Come in and have a seat
And be a friend of mine.

Put Your Bottom on the Rug
(Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)

Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.
Put your bottom on the rug, then give yourself a hug.
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.
Good-Bye, Good Friends
(The poem is by my daughter Holly, but Laurie Berkner of IL
came up with the idea to sing it to the tune of “Down by the Bay.”)

Tape letters, numbers, or sight words (depending on the time of year) on the floor where the children line up. Tell them to find a specific place to line up. You can also let them choose a spot and tell what they are standing on. It’s a good way to review information and focus their attention before leaving the classroom.

Criss Cross Applesauce (Pamela Pounds, AL)

Ask your school lunchroom to save the label from a big can of applesauce. Glue it to a sheet of red paper and make a big “X” on the reverse. Laminate and attach to a stick. Whenever you want the children to sit “criss cross applesauce” you can hold up the sign and you don’t have to say a thing.

Quiet Hands

When you want children to settle down ask them to show you their “quiet hands” as you model folding your hands. When they focus on their hands they will become quiet.

Twiddle Your Thumbs (Janice Biederman)

While waiting, have the children twiddle their thumbs forwards, backwards, fast, slow, happy, sad, and so forth.
Atttention Grabber (Lee Swatzell)

Keep extra band aids on hand for boo boos, hurt feelings, and “bad” days. It’s amazing how much better a little band aid can make a child feel – physically and mentally! The teacher who shared this idea said band aids and first aid spray work for adults as well!